Heat transfer has proven to be rather difficult to control for many years. The ability, for instance, to generate a continuous flame under a water vessel requires not only noticeable safety considerations, but a continuous supply of material to burn for such a purpose. Certainly, natural gas can be utilized within such a system, but the costs and controlled dispensing of such a gaseous source requires significant investment and precautions (not to mention, electricity for control purposes). Typical water heaters rely upon natural gas or electricity nowadays, incurring significant costs and, for the most part, rather inefficient results, particularly as the price of natural gas increases. Additionally, with the drive for more green energy alternatives around the globe, the ability to supply hot water on demand without the need for electricity (which is primarily generated through the burning of fossil fuels for the most part) has, again, proven to be extremely difficult.
Solar energy has recently been employed for water heating purposes to a greater extent, albeit in a rather limited fashion as continuous supply is limited due to obvious availability constraints. Furthermore, even with a generous supply of heat captured in such manner, the actual transfer operation typically relies upon an electric pump device or, ultimately, induction through the flow of hot air around a water source. Electric pumps require, as noted above, electricity for operation, leaving such a system susceptible to inactivity if such an electrical supply is curtailed. Likewise, temperature controls can be difficult to employ without undertaking certain computerized controls (again requiring electrical charges for operation). Such air flow devices are extremely inefficient as the general supply of heat in terms of solar activity has proven difficult to sufficiently control, leaving a rather large amount of collected heat subject to emission as “waste” since, for example, the total amount must be stored or immediately transferred unless dissipation occurs over time.
In effect, solar or waste energy in such situations is stored within liquid as heat or additional potential energy, thus providing a significant and heretofore untapped capacity for efficient utilization if handled properly. In that manner, then, the retention of the total heat absorbed in such a situation is impractical with typical solar energy collectors/distributors, as well. Collection and utilization of all (or even a majority) of transferred heat within such systems are simply not available without the need for electrical resources for storage and control purposes. Avoidance of such electrical needs is very important for a green technology device to be utilized without need for a carbon footprint, let alone the potential for human involvement for maintenance and upkeep of any such electrically based instrumentation.
There thus exists a noticeable need to supply suitable heat transfer capabilities with minimal (or even no) electricity requirements, particularly as it pertains to supplying heated water on demand. As noted above, the current state of the art is generally based upon electrical, natural gas, or combinations thereof, for such purposes. Any flame-based operations require emissions controls as well as safety measures to best ensure explosions do not occur (particularly with highly flammable natural gas supplies). Even propane and other like gases have proven difficult and potentially dangerous in these respects. As such, it remains a highly desirable result to avoid, if possible, any need for open flame or electrical reliance for such heat transfer activities. Any capability to do so that is continuous without any need for any appreciable level of human involvement for sufficient operation would thus be of significance to these industries. To date, such a self-acting system has yet to be provided.